Archive for the ‘Sneakers’ Category

Not one to forget where he came from, LeBron and his latest shoe, the Nike LeBron 11, once again pay homage with the latest “Summit Lake Hornets” signature edition. Based in court purple and vivid blue, the transitional area between the Hyperposite and Hyperfuse comes in bearing a honeycomb pattern, with the Posite sporting a color-changing Chroma look. The “Summit Lake Hornets” LeBron 11 will hit retailers on March 8 for $ 200.

Street struck and brought back, the Nike Air Raid is going on a retro run in 2014. Following up a look at an OG interpretation, we see an all new Wolf Grey/Venom Green colorway. This modern makeup relies on an all grey base, set atop a black midsole with venom green speckling. The two tones accent the straps, lining and outsole, completing the colorway in balanced fashion. Look for the Nike Air Raid Wolf Grey Venom Green to launch in April and pre-order a pair now at End.

Nike Air Raid

You want that old thing back? Nike knows. Not taking things too far back, the Nike retro train makes a stop in the mid-90s to revive the Air Raid silhouette. Equipped with a rugged outsole and double cross-foot straps, the former hoops kick is an ode to ’90s indoor-outdoor performance basketball if there ever was one, as black, flint grey and white work together to handle the sneaker. To get a head start on the 2014 re-emergence of the Nike Air Raid, head over to Titolo now to pre-order them for €126 (~$ 173).

Since taking to the NBA hardwood 10 years ago, Carmelo Anthony has racked up an impressive résumé, not to mention showcased a decade worth of signatures and PEs as a member of Jordan Brand. Looking back on the past 10 years as a cause for celebration, Jordan Brand lets us in on a private dinner party, where special guest attendees reflect on defining moments from the past decade. Check out the 8-minute clip up top for a recap of the intimate gathering.

They call him “Money” for a reason. Aside from being straight cash on the court, Michael Jordan has proved one of the best businessmen in the basketball footwear industry. Just how good? Forbes reports that in 2013 alone he made $ 90 Million off his Jordan Brand partnership with Nike. Here’s a few things to put in perspective:

Forbes reports that last weekend the Air Jordan 10 “Powder Blue” did $ 35 Million in first-day sales alone. Conversely, the adidas D Rose signature line did $ 40 Million in all of 2013.

It’s not just Derrick Rose that the retired legend is outselling. LeBron James, the highest selling signature star in the NBA today, sold $ 300 Million worth of shoes in 2013. Jordan did $ 2.25 Billion in 2013.

Lastly, if anyone’s questioning Kanye West’s knowledge of the industry, it appears Yeezy’s understanding is pretty on-point. In the interview with Angie Martinez where he announced his partnership with adidas, he discussed his issue with Nike regarding his lack of royalties as an artist as opposed to an athlete, citing Michael Jordan’s profitable situation as an example. “Michael Jordan has 5%, that business is $ 2 billion. He makes a $ 100 million dollars a year off of 5% royalties,” said West. Examining the numbers reported by Forbes, he’s not far off.

In last night’s game between the Detroit Pistons and the San Antonio Spurs, guard Manu Ginobili flat out ripped through his shoe during a defensive play in the first half of the game. While guarding Rodney Stuckey at the top of the key, Ginobili planted before his foot instantly burst out of the shoe.

According to San Antonio Spurs Equipment Manager Travis Wade, Ginobili has been wearing this shoe – the Nike Air Max Closer IV - since 2009. Now, Ginobili, a player who is most comfortable wearing the exact same pair of shoes night in and night out, will be forced to switch to a more current performance shoe. “I’ll be switching to the LeBron 11 now,” said Ginobili, while examining his blown out sneaker at his locker. “I have a few NIKEiDs on the way.”

Ginobili, who spent most of last season’s games in the Nike LeBron X, says he’s a big fan of LeBron’s shoes because they are durable, sturdy and “hold up great on the court.”

“Manu is so hard on a pair of shoes,” said Wade. “Hopefully the LeBron 11s hold up for him and last as long he plans on playing.”

A new colorway of the Air Jordan 3 is stampeding its way to stores with a familiar appearance. Previewed by Fat Joe and publicized by Drake, the Air Jordan 3 “Infrared 23″ is composed much like the iconic White/Cement original, only with hints of its nickname. A white tumbled leather upper holds famous elephant print overlays on the toe box and heel, contrasted with black on more of the midsole, tongue, ankle collar, and Jumpman heel logo. The recently utilized “Infrared 23″ hue adds a little color on the top and bottom eyelets, as well as in the visible air. Tell us what you think of the latest AJ 3 in the comment section underneath, and mark your calendar for a March 8th release date for a $ 170 box price.

The AJ10 meets the AJ1 on the Air Jordan 1 ’94. Checkered lining, themed tongue and striped sole play to the mid-90s model, while a sleek build and Swooshed sidewall are that of the original. A “Venom Green” colorway carries the same code as this weekend’s other retro releases, relying on a black leather base and bright accents on the Wings logo, lining, laces and outsole. Check out detailed photos of the Air Jordan 1 ’94 “Venom Green” in the gallery above and look for these to launch on March 1st at the Nice Kicks Shop in Austin, TX.

The month of March is already shaping up to be a hard hitter in terms of sneaker releases, as the 510 Skate Shop x Nike SB Dunk High has been added to the Nike.com release roster. Street-smart with a camo-printed canvas upper, the kick is infused with hits of olive khaki on the side Swoosh branding and tongue. Providing a welcome addition of bright color, the tongue tagging and shoe laces peek over the horizon in sunset orange, with speckles of the same color seen against the white midsole. Taking it from there, a gum outsole fits in appropriately on the bottom. Scope the sneak in the photos below and hit up Nike on Saturday, March 1, to grab this collaborative SB Dunk for $ 120.

Italian soccer star Marco Materazzi is a force on his own field, but also a fan of the best in another arena. An avid adorer of Michael Jordan, the G.O.A.T. has inspired his own athletic greatness, his jersey number, his tattoos, his wedding date and his son’s birthday. MJ has also inspired his interest in footwear and his latest foray, the Nike Tiempo ’94 “Air Jordan 1″ Pack. Set to launch on February 23rd online at Nike and at his own shop, Space23, the classic soccer kicks draw color blocking from the instantly iconic OG AJ series. Mark your calendar for the Nike Tiempo ’94 launch at the said spots this Sunday, followed by select Nike Sportswear accounts worldwide on March 1st.